Memories in the Cooking

This dish tastes exactly like the Chinese Grilled Lamb Skewers. Just simpler to make!  Ingredients:  - 1.5kg of lamb leg (cut into cubes)  - few tablespoons ginger juice  - 3 egg whites  - 2 teaspoon of white pepper (to marinate meat and to make the seasoning) - 1 tablespoon cornstarch  - 1 tablespoon of cumin powder  - 3 tablespoons of white sesame seeds  - 1 teaspoon of salt  - 1 tablespoons of sugar  Procedures:  1) In a large mixing bowl, mix the diced lamb with ginger juice, egg whites, white pepper, cornstarch. Let it stand for a while.  2) In a pan, toast cumin powder, white sesame seeds, salt, sugar and pepper. Set it aside.  3) In a pan, add some cooking oil. Fry the lamb cubes until golden brown. This may take 20 mins. Drain away the excess oil.  4) Mix the cumin seasoning with the lamb cubes. Mix well and serve. 

I prepared a feast with many red meat (beef, lam, duck) and needed a side dish that can cuts through the oily flavours. Hence, I decided to make this pickled onions dish as a side.  Ingredients:  - 5 large red onions  - 2 cups of water  - 2 cups of white rice vinegar  - 2/3 cup of sugar  - 2 tablespoons of salt  - 2 bay leaves.  Procedures:  1) Slice red onions. Place it in a large container.  2) In a pot, add water, white rice vinegar, sugar, salt and bay leaves. Boil until the sugar dissolves.  3) Pour the liquid mixture into the container until all the red onion slices are submerged.  4) Keep it overnight in a fridge. 

We first had this cheese at a pizza place. The stracciatella cheese came with a flat bread and it was the most memorable dish!  Ingredients: - 3 fresh mozzarella balls (125 each) - 300g of Greek Yogurt  - black pepper  - 1 teaspoon of salt  - basil garlic oil (blend basil, garlic, olive oil and salt) or truffle oil Procedures: 1) In a large bowl, shred mozzarella balls. Add yogurt, salt and black pepper. Mix well.  2) Place the stracciatella into a serving bowl. Drizzle with basil oil or truffle oil. 

This is a fun cake. Especially when everyone pulls a cupcake out at the same time.  Ingredients:  - 200g of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder (sieved) - 150g of unsalted butter  - 150g of sugar  - 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract  - 4 tablespoons of milk  - 2 eggs  - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract  - a pinch of salt  - instant frosting  - fruits  Procedures:  1) In a large bowl, mix sugar and butter until it becomes creamy and light.  2) Add 2 eggs, vanilla extract and milk to the creamed mixture. Mix well.  3) Sieve in flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Mix well.  4) Spoon the cupcake mixture into 12-16 cupcake tins (depending on size)  5) Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 25 minutes. (Untill an inserted toothpick comes out clean). Let the cupcake cool.  6) Spread it with instant frosting. Top it with fruits. 

This is a easy and delicious starter. Goes well with my husband's homemade focaccia bread.   Ingredients:  - 200g of smoked salmon (around 2 packets)  - 200g of cream cheese  - juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a bunch of basil leaves, garlic (blend)  - 2 cucumber, diced  - 2 tablespoons of thick cream or yogurt  - black pepper  Procedures:  1) Chop smoked salmon finely.  2) Add cream cheese to salmon. Mix well.  3) Blended mix of lemon juice, olive oil, basil leaves and garlic. Add to salmon and cream cheese. Mix well.  4) Add diced cucumber. Mix well.  5) Add thick cream/yogurt to the preferred consistency.  6) Add freshly grated black pepper. Enjoy! 

Here is another recipe I got from Xiaohongshu. It is refreshing and delicious.  Ingredients:  - 30 prawns, deshelled  - 1 packet of tang hoon - 1 large red onion, sliced  - 1 cucumber, sliced  - parsley, chopped  - garlic, chopped  - 3 lemons/lime, juiced (save a few slices as garnish)  - 2 tablespoons of fish sauce  - 1 bottle of sprite  - salt, sugar, rice vinegar to adjust taste Procedures: 1) Blanch prawns and tang hoon in boiling water.  2) Add blanched prawns, tang hoon, red onions, cucumber, parsley, garlic, lemon/lime juice, lemon/lime slices, fish sauce, sprite to a mixing bowl. Mix well.  3) Add salt, sugar or rice vinegar to adjust the taste.  4) Chill on fridge for one hour. Serve. 

I saw this recipe on Xiaohongshu. It turned out very delicious and easy.  Ingredients:  - 1kg of chicken mid wings  - cloves of garlic (quantity as desired)  - 1 can of coke  - 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce  - salt and sugar (to adjust the taste)  - white sesame seeds and parsley  Procedures: 1) In a frying pan, brown some garlic cloves.  2)Add chicken wings and brown them.  3) Add a can of coke and oyster sauce. Let it simmer until the sauce is reduced.  4) Add sesame seeds and parsley. Serve. 

Typically, we will cook traditional dishes during Chinese New Year. This year, we had this new dish to our addition.  Ingredients:  - 1kg of abalones with shells. Cleaned, removed the intestines, scored.  - 3 packets of enoki mushrooms - 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic - 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil - 1 teaspoon of salt  - 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese  - 1 teaspoon of sugar - some pepper Procedures: 1) Combine chopped garlic, oil, salt, parmesan cheese, salt, sugar and pepper into a paste.  2) Place the enoki mushrooms on a baking tray. Add 1/3 of the paste. Mix well.  3) Place the abalone shells on top of the enoki mushrooms.  4) Spread the paste on top of every abalone.  5) Baked in the oven at 180 degree celsius for 15 mins. Garnish with parsley. Serve. 

This is the first dish we tasted from Xiang Xiang Hunan Restaurant and it is surprisingly nice!  Ingredients: - 4 century eggs  - 2 brinjals - 3-4 Hunan green peppers - 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce - 1 tablespoon of sesame oil  - 1 tablespoon of black vinegar  - 1 teaspoon of sugar  - 1 teaspoon of minced garlic  Procedures: 1) Dry-fry/grill green peppers and brinjal until the skin is black and the pepper/brinjal is soft.  2) Peel off the skin of the green pepper/brinjal. Place it in the mortar.  3) Cut the century eggs into small pieces. Place it in the mortar.  4) Add sesame oil, black vinegar, sugar, light soya sauce and minced garlic.  5) Use a pestle to grind the mixture into a paste.